Sub-clinical acidosis in ruminants produces losses in excess of 500 million dollars a year for the dairy industry in the United States by seriously affecting animal performance. Dry matter intake and lactation performance (milk yield, milk fat and protein) are negatively affected, increasing the incidence of laminitis.
The ideal rumen pH is between 5.8 and 6.8. A pH lower than 5.8 increases the risk of sub-clinical acidosis and below 5.5 is considered an acidosis condition. Animals may die when rumen pH falls below 5.0. Digestive enzymes in the small intestine are ineffective below pH 6.8.
Two situations are very well documented in which ruminants develop clinical and sub-clinical acidosis. Diets in intensive animal production systems (dairy or beef cattle) are very high in starch-rich concentrate feeds such as corn, barley, sorghum, oats, and the like and low in effective Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF). High dietary starch and low effective NDF produce an acidic rumen environment as the result of low saliva production and a high rate of starch fermentation in the rumen, and, as a consequence, high concentrations of acids (H+) are produced. This results in clinical and sub-clinical acidosis, which is characterized by high volatile fatty acid and lactic acid concentrations in the rumen.
The second situation arises with ruminants grazing high quality pastures with high rates of rumen fermentation (low effective NDF) and this type of forages are supplemented with high starch concentrates. This can also result in sub-clinical rumen acidosis.
Sodium bicarbonate is presently widely-used by feedlots and intensive dairy production systems as a ruminant anti-acid treatment to prevent sub-clinical acidosis. In addition to being expensive, the pKa of sodium bicarbonate is only effective to partially neutralize acids in the rumen and it will not neutralize acid in the intestine.
From the environmental point of view, sodium bicarbonate has high sodium content. This results in soil salinization and underground water contamination in intensive animal production systems.
There is a need for a commercial low-sodium anti-acid composition that includes different components that are integrated to work in the rumen and the ruminant intestine at different ranges of pH to prevent and control sub-clinical acidosis.